Dyeing apparatus



Oct. 13, 1936. B; J. GOLDSMITH 2,057,428

' Q DYEING APPARATUS Filed May 24, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 1' Oct. 13,1936. B; J. GOLDSMITH 2,057,428

DYEING APPARATUS Filed, May 24, 1955 ZSheeps-Sheet 2 ",Beifiram cl Goklsmzlh Patented Oct. 13, 1936 PATENT OFFICE DYEIN G APPARATUS Bertram J. Goldsmith, New York, N. Y., assignor to General Ribbon Mills, Incorporated, a corporation of Pennsylvania Application May 24, 1935, Serial No. 23,318

2 Claims.

This invention relates to apparatus for dyeing yarns and narrow fabrics, such as ribbons.

A particular object of the invention is to provide a dyeing machine of the reciprocating type in which the skeins of material to be treated are suspendedhorizontally upon an open rack within the dye bath and gently movedback and forth. Inorder to obtain a thorough penetration of the dye into the material the invention contemplates an arrangement of the rack relative to the com partment containing thedye solution such that the rack in its back and forth movement causes a pumping action'which forces the dye through the rack and into intimate contact with the skeins of material. r r

Another object of the invention is to provide a rack of relatively simple and inexpensive construction arranged to accommodate a maximum number of skeins supported side-by-side upon pairs of dyeing sticks and adapted to uniformly expose the material to the actionof the dye.

A further object of my invention'is to provide an improved form of dyeing stick forming an element of the rack'f'or horizontally supporting the skeins, the sticks being designed to facilitate their association with and disassociation from the skeins and their quick and easy assembly with the rack. l 7

Other objects and advantages of the'invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment of the invention, supplemented by the annexed sheets of drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a somewhat diagrammatic view of machine for dyeing skeins of ribbon;

Figure 2 is a plan view of the dyeing machine of Figure 1; r j V Figure 3 is a perspective view of the rack with its top disengaged therefrom;

Figure 4 is a detailed cross-sectional view of a bottom corner of the rack;

Figure 5 is a detailed cross-sectional view of the rack taken on theline 55 of Figure 3 and showing'aguide slot; J j.

Figure dis a perspective view of one form of dyeing stick which may advantageously be employed with the rack; k V V Figure '7 is aperspe'ctive view of another form of dyeing stick; 1 i

Figure 8 illustrates how the trailing end of the skein floats free from its supporting stick in one direction of movement of the rack; and

Figure 9 illustrates the position of the skein in the reverse movement of the rack.

One form of reciprocating dyeing machine constructed so as to embody the invention is illustrated in Figures 1 and 2. This machine comprises a relatively deep stationary tank I adapted to be approximately filled with a suitable dye solution. The tank is separated into individual 5 compartments by partitions 4 extending crosswise of the tank. Arranged on uprights 2 at spaced intervals along opposite sides of the tank is a series of flanged rollers 3 disposed slightly above the plane 10 of the top of the tank. A pair of bars 5 traversing the length of the tank, but independent thereof, rest upon and between the flanges of the rollers and are connected at their ends by crosspieces 6 for unitary movement. Reciprocation is imparted to the bars by means of a crank disk 8 driven through suitable speed reduction mechanism by an electric motor 9, the crank disk being pivotally connected to oneof the crosspieces 6 by a connecting rod 1.

A rack Hl provided with a detachable top H which rests upon and is supported by the bars 5 holds the rack immersed in the liquor of the tank so that when the motor 9 is operated the rack will ride backwards and forwards with the bars. As indicated in Figure 1, a number of these racks 'may be supported upon the bars 5 at the same time, each rack being reciprocated within a separate compartment of the tank. The racks extend to closely adjacent the bottom of the tank and are of such a width as to allow only a small clearance between the sides of the rack and the sides of the tank. The throw of the crank 1 is such as to bring the racks near the partitions 4 of the respective ends of their compartments at the time of the reversal of their movement. 'A piston rod 12 of an air hoist mounted upon an overhead rail (not shown) is swiveled to the top H of the rack, the function of the hoist being to facilitate the transfer of the racks to and from 40 the tank.

The rack' II], as illustrated in Figure 3, is constructed in the form of a rigid, generally boxshaped open frame composed of angle members made of a non-corrosive metal.- Angles I5 and Ha are welded together to form the sides and ends respectively of the rectangular base of the structure. One flange of these angles extends vertically and the other flange is directed hori-- zontally inward, as best shown in the fragmentary cross-sectional view of Figure 4; and extending between and riveted to the horizontal flanges so as to form a bottom for the rack is a perforated plate I 6, also made of a non-corrosive metal. The purpose of this plate is to prevent the skeins that 5 are freely suspended upon the rack, as will be later described, from contacting the bottom of the tank.

Projecting upwardly and in parallelism from the rectangular base are angles l8 and lBa, these angles embracing all four corners defined by the intersections of the upright flanges of angles l5 and E50,. Both of the angles l8 located at one end of the frame have vertically disposed plates I9 welded thereto so as to extend parallel to but spaced from the transversely directed flanges of the angles, thereby forming with such flanges guide slots 20, as shown in Figure 5. Irrthe same manner, the angles I8a are provided with plates l9a, similar to the plates I9, to form guide slots.

20a at the opposite end of the frame. The two pairs of guide slots 20 and 200. open to the upper end of the frame and constitute retainers.

for dyeing sticks 2|.

Angles 22 extending lengthwise of the frame are bonded to the plates l9 and 19a adjacent the tops of the latter, these angles 22 not only rigidifying the frame, but providing a mounting for a pair of studs 23 projecting upward from the angles midway of their length upon the two sides of the frame.

The top H is constituted of a casting of generally I-shape having a bridge member 26 extending crosswise between the angles 22 and carrying upon its ends flat feet 21 designed to rest upon the reciprocating bars 5. The studs 23 are adapted to pass through openings 24 in the top and to be secured thereto by means of wing nuts 25 threaded upon the projecting ends of the studs. The weight of the rack will ordinarily be sufficient to hold the feet 21 in firm engagement with the bars during their reciprocation, but, if desired, additional means may be provided for latching the feet 21 to the bars. In order not to necessitate disengagement of the piston rod I2 of the air hoist from the rack while the latter is being traversed within the tank, the lower end of the piston rod is provided with a transverse cylindrical pin 28 snugly embraced by a pair of straps 29 mounted upon bridge member 26 so as to afford a swivel connection of the piston to the rack.

By the construction which has just been described, when the racks, which fill a substantial portion of their respective compartments, are reciprocated by the crank I a pumping action results within each compartment which forces the dye solution through the open frames of the rack and deep into the fabric of the material undergoing treatment. Thus the machine, because of its capability of producing a thorough washing of the skeins in the dye liquor, is of special utility in treating those .materials with respect to which it has heretofore been difficult to obtain penetration of the dye.

One form of dyeing stick which I prefer to employ for supporting the skeins in horizontal position on the frame is illustrated in Figure 6. This stick, which is made of 'an acid-resistant metal, comprises a relatively long straight shank 30 of circular cross-section, and a head 3| formed of a short section of the same stock that composes the shank. The head is arcuately bent midway of its length at which point it iswelded to the shank 30. The ends 32 of the head are cleft on planes parallel to the shank.

In associating the skeins to be dyed with the rack, the unheaded ends of a pair of sticks are passed through the loops of a series of skeins and the ends of the sticks then inserted in the slots 20 and 20a and allowed to slip down to the lower ends of the slots. This brings the headed ends of the sticks against the bottom of the frame while the unheaded ends are supported by stops defined by the ends of thumb screws 33 threaded through a flange of the angles 18 and l8a into the slots 20 and 20a. These screws are duplicated upon opposite sides of the frame and may be projected into or retracted from the slots as desired. The pair of sticks thus extends parallel to the bottom of the frame and the skeins hang loosely suspended between the sticks above the perforated plate l6.

Another pair of sticks is similarly associated with an additional series of skeins, inserted in slots 20 and 20a, and allowed to slide down into contact with the previously introduced sticks. This second pair of sticks, however, will extend in opposite directions to the pair first inserted in the slots so that the unheaded ends of one pair of sticks will abut against the headed ends of the other pair of sticks, as indicated in Figure 3. This arrangement is carried out in assembling all the sticks with the rack, the heads 3| thus serving to space the sticks apart so that the skeins supported at different elevations by the sticks hang clear of each other. Another function of the heads is to prevent the skeins from sliding off the ends of the sticks during assembly of the sticks in the frame.

A variant form of dyeing stick is shown in Figure '7. This stick is made of a round metal rod having downturned ends, constituting heads 40, connected by a straight shank portion 4|. The heads are designed to be received in the slots 20 and 20a and serve to space the sticks apart when assembled upon the rack. Such form of head does not require the arrangement of the sticks in alternate head-to-end relationship during their assembly.

Since the skeins extend lengthwise of the rack and in the direction of reciprocation of the rack, movement of the rack back and forth within the dye bath will cause the sticks to exert a pull upon the leading ends of the skeins. This causes the loosely suspended skeins to straighten out, allowing the trailing ends of the skeins to drift away from their sticks as diagrammatically indicated in Figure 8 and permitting access of the dye liquor to the underside of the skeins that normally rests upon the sticks. When the rack reverses its movement, the pull upon the skeins is in the opposite direction, and what was formerly the leading end now becomes the trailing end of the skeins which latter floats clear of the sticks as shown in Figure 9, and completely exposes itself to the action of the dye. This meth- 0d of dyeing precludes the formation of discolored areas upon the material being dyed caused by the failure of the dye to penetrate the surfaces of the skeins which are normally in contact with the dyeing sticks.

When only a small lot of skeins is to be treated, these skeins may be suspended near the bottom of the rack and the tank filled with liquor only to an extent sufficient to cover the skeins. Because of the relatively close fit of the racks with respect to the sides of the compartments, the same pumping action is obtained in the reciprocation of the racks as in the case of a full tank, with a substantial saving of expense.

It will be apparent that various changes may be made in structure and design from the illustrative form of rack described above without departing from the spirit of my invention.

I claim:

1. Dyeing apparatus comprising a dyeing tub adapted to contain dyeing liquid, a dyeing rack movably mounted in said tub, said dyeing rack constructed and arranged to support a plurality of skeins of the material to be dyed, said rack having its sides and bottom positioned closely adjacent the sides and bottom, respectively, of said tub so that only a space sufficient for clearance to permit movement of the rack in the tub is provided at said sides and bottom, whereby movement of the rack lengthwise of said tub exerts a pumping action on said dye liquid and forces the latter to flow under pressure substantially entirely through the rack between the sides of the rack and above the bottom thereof, thus forcing the dyeing liquid under pressure through the skeins of material on the rack. V

2. Dyeing apparatus comprising a dyeing tub adapted to contain dyeing liquid, a dyeing rack movably mounted in said tub, said dyeing rack constructed and arranged to support a plurality of skeins of the material to be dyed, said rack substantially filling the tub between the sides of the latter and having its sides and bottom positioned closely adjacent the sides and bottom, respectively, of said tub except for a slight clearance between rack and tub to permit lengthwise movement of the rack in the tub between the ends of the latter, whereby said lengthwise movement of the rack exerts a pumping action on said dye liquid and causes the latter to flow under pressure substantially entirely through the rack between the sides of the rack and above the bottom thereof thus forcing the dyeing liquid under pressure through the skeins of material on the rack.

, BERTRAM J. GOLDSMITH. 

